I have been a soldier in the army of Israel for quite a while now.  I've served under many different leaders, but one time I especially remember was when Gideon was our commander.

We were getting ready to fight the army of Midian.  We had thirty-two thousand men in our army, so we were sure that was enough to win.  But the Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men. Tell all those who are afraid to go home." 

I thought all our soldiers were brave, but when they heard that they could go home, twenty-two thousand headed back to our camp.  That left us with ten thousand; not a lot, but if we planned it right, it just might be enough.

The Lord spoke to Gideon again. This time he said, "You still have too many. Take the men down to the water and tell them to get a drink."

"I can't believe this," I thought.  "We have too many men, and he tells us to get a drink!"  But I knew Gideon had heard from God, so it had to be the right thing to do.  Besides, that water did taste pretty good.

Then God told Gideon, "Have all the men who got down on their knees and drank from the water stand in one group, and the ones who picked up the water in their hands and drank it to stand in another group."  That left us with nine thousand and seven hundred in one group, and three hundred men in the other.  I was one of the three hundred.

Then God told Gideon, "Send the large group home.  I will help you defeat the Midianite army with the three hundred who are left."  Now if we could win this battle with just three hundred men, that would prove that it was God who did it, and not us.  Hmmm...  Do you think that was what God wanted us to learn?

That same night the Lord told Gideon, "I have given you the victory over the army of the Midianites. But if you are afraid, take your servant and sneak down to the enemy camp and listen."

Gideon and his servant sneaked down into the enemy camp.  They stood outside one of the tents and listened.  One of the soldiers in the tent said, "I had the most unusual dream last night. I dreamed that a loaf of barley bread came into our camp and hit one of our tents so hard that the tent fell flat."

His friend in the tent answered, "That has to be Gideon, the leader of the army of Israel. God has surely allowed him to defeat us."

When Gideon heard that, he was so happy he couldn't wait to get back to his camp and get his small army together.  He divided us into three groups of one hundred each and gave each man a trumpet, and an empty pitcher with an oil lamp inside.  Now, I've gone into battle with all kinds of weapons, but this the first time I had only a trumpet and a pitcher instead of a sword and a shield.

"Watch me," Gideon told us.  "Do just as I do. When I give the signal, blow your trumpet, break the pitcher so the light can be seen, and yell 'The sword of the Lord and of Gideon.' "

Very quietly we moved into our positions.  We were on the hills above the camp of Midian on three sides.  Then Gideon gave the order! The noise of the trumpets was so loud it almost scared me. Then we all broke our pitchers and shouted, "THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON!  THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON!"

The sudden noise and the sight of the lamps surrounding them surprised and confused the Midianite army so badly that they started running all around, and some even started killing each other. Others ran out of the camp and disappeared into the darkness.

Gideon sent word for the rest of the army of Israel to chase after those Midianites who had escaped.

We all learned one big lesson that night.  God doesn't need a large army to win the victory.  All he needs is a few who are willing to trust Him and do it His way.

Are you willing to trust God and do just what He tells you to do?  Yes, I thought so!

Copyright Ó 1998 Larry Platt - Used by permission

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